Day 22 – John 16:16-22

Read John 16:16-21:

V16: There is surely a double meaning, or as its often put, a near and a distant horizon here. ‘The little while’ when they will see Him no more speaks first of when He is seized, taken to that mockery of a trial, and crucified ; but then, of His Ascension into heaven. ‘The little while’ when they will see Him, of His Resurrection appearances, but then supremely of they and all His people seeing Him in glory.

V17-18: Still they do not understand, but after His Resurrection, and above all after the Holy Spirit is given on the day of Pentecost, they will. We live on this side of Pentecost, and the Spirit gives us understanding through the Scriptures.

V19: Jesus knows what is in their hearts and minds, what they want to say, but do not yet understand. He still knows our hearts, and even what we cannot put in to words, Romans 8:26 speaks of the Spirit’s ministry in this context too.

V20: At His crucifixion, before they know the glorious truth of the Resurrection, they will weep, and His enemies, the unbelieving world, will rejoice. But their sorrow will be turned into joy, when they know that He is risen, and His redeeming work accomplished.

V21: He gives the vivid comparison to a woman in the pains of labour, whose pain will turn to joy when her child is born. In Romans 8:22-23 we are told all creation is groaning in travail now (this broken world) but when the full work of redeeming grace is revealed, when creation is transformed and renewed,  creation itself, but above all the people of Christ, those He has redeemed, will leave the groaning for ever!